A valve operating system in which one end of a push rod is fitted to one end of a rocker arm having a valve abutment part abutting to an engine valve at the other end side and a link mechanism is provided between the other end of the push rod and a valve operating cam in order to continuously change the amount of lift of the engine valve is already known by Patent Document 1.
However, in the engine valve operating mechanism disclosed in the above-described Patent Document 1, it is necessary to ensure a comparatively large space to dispose a link mechanism and the push rod therein, between the valve operating cam and the rocker arm, and therefore, the valve operating system becomes large in size. In addition, a driving force from the valve operating cam is transmitted to the rocker arm via the link mechanism and the push rod, and therefore, it is difficult to say follow-up ability of the rocker arm to the valve operating cam, namely, follow-up ability of opening and closing operation of the engine valve is excellent.
Thus, the applicant already proposes an engine valve operating system in which one end portions of a first and second link arm are rotatably connected to a rocker arm, the other end portion of the first link arm is rotatably supported at an engine body, and the other end portion of the second link arm is displaced by drive means in Patent Document 2. According to the valve operating system, it is possible to make the valve operating system compact and it is also possible to ensure excellent follow-up ability to the valve operating cam by directly transmitting the power from the valve operating cam to the rocker arm.
Patent Document 1:
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 8-74534
Patent Document 2:
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-36560